Australia dangles offer for new Pitt film

Two of Hollywood's biggest stars may soon be in Australia for the shooting of a massive blockbuster flick, if the federal government can strike a deal with Disney.

If talks go well, Brad Pitt could begin filming 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo in Australia, within months. And with the shoot expected to take around four to six months, his superstar wife Angelina Jolie might join him Down Under.

Federal Arts Minister Simon Crean will meet Disney executives in Canberra on Friday to discuss the government's bid to encourage Hollywood productions on Australian shores.

To attract the smash hit Wolverine to our shores, the government granted the producers of the film a one-off payment of $12.8 million.

The production boosted Australia's profile as a film destination and generated 2000 jobs and $80 million in local investment.

"This is bigger," Mr Crean told ABC radio on Friday.

It's not known how the much the government will offer Disney, but a spokesman for Mr Crean said given the significantly larger scale of this film the bid will certainly be higher than for Wolverine.

Mr Crean has urged people not to jump the gun as the deal is only in the discussion stage.

The government is pitching a $12 million one-off payment, but needs extra cash from the NSW and Queensland governments to sweeten the offer.

Mr Crean said it would be money well spent to lift employment, boost the economy and reinforce the Australian brand.

The minister said Wolverine director James Mangold had praised his Australia crews as the best he'd worked with anywhere in the world.

"This is what directors want," he said.

"They want the talent that is here in Australia."

In the end, it's the producers that cough up the most cash and Australia can be an expensive place to work, given the high Australian dollar.